This week, the Chairman of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Inez Tenenbaum, announced her Circle of Commendation Award winners for 2013. Each year, this award has been given to organizations and individuals who have worked to improve product safety. This year, KID was thrilled when Dr. Joshua Sharfstein of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene was among the winners. Most recently Dr. Sharfstein worked to ban the sale of crib bumper pads in his state due to the suffocation risk the product poses. But he has also been instrumental in a variety of product safety issues including lead in children’s products, sleep positioner dangers, cold medicines for very young children and more.
Also receiving the award are Carol Pollack Nelson, an expert Human Factors psychologist and current President of the International Consumer Product Health & Safety Organization (ICPHSO), the ASTM International Toy Committee for their work on a strong toy standard, Dr. Toby Litovitz, Executive and Medical Director of the National Capital Poison Center, for her work on button cell batteries, and Committee CS-003, Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand for their work on test methods for mattress firmness – an important measure to prevent suffocation and SIDS.
KID Executive Director Nancy Cowles received the award in 2011 along with many other stalwart workers for safer products. Congratulations to this year’s winners.
